


Happy Birthday Arthur

by Geenee27



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 18:37:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16000997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geenee27/pseuds/Geenee27
Summary: Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional.





	Happy Birthday Arthur

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, not sorry. I can't help myself. Happy Birthday to a special little boy. A firebrand in his own right.

“Now Jack, do you think you could keep an eye on Arthur for two minutes while I run upstairs to change my coat and hat?”

 

Senior Detective Inspector J. Robinson rolled his eyes at this. He was quite capable of looking after a 5 year old for two minutes, thank you very much; after all he deals with angry wharfies and trigger happy thugs all the time.

 

“Don't you roll your eyes at me Jack Robinson; as I recall, the last time we left you in charge it was not a pretty picture.”

 

“We were just playing with mud pies, no harm in that,” he protested. “Besides, the Collinses were able to get away for a few hours to the foreshore sans children and I was studiously contrite.” He tilted his head and gave her that particularly filthy leer he liked to use to disarm her and she tilted her head back at him, simultaneously mirroring his movement, acknowledging said payment.

 

“Well, Hugh is due home from his shift any moment and Dot skipped next door briefly to finish changing Little P, so if you can manage Arthur, for TWO minutes I will be right back. Then we can all head to Aunt P's for Arthur's birthday party.”

 

The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher darted out of the kitchen to head upstairs to her boudoir. Jack looked down at the little blonde curly-haired mite, immaculately attired in dark short pants, white collared shirt and bow-tie, and thought quickly. Now, how to keep the little deviant out of trouble for two minutes. Ah, he had a solution; sit him at the kitchen table and feed him something that will not create a mess. Crackers! Arthur loves crackers.

 

The Inspector searched in the cupboards and found a box of saltines. They look harmless enough, so he took a small plate out of the sideboard, placed a handful of the crackers on it and settled Arthur onto a chair. Arthur beamed. “Tank you, Uncle Jack. I like crackers.”

 

Jack leaned against the counter, very pleased with himself and his inspired choice. Suddenly the phone started peeling in the front hall. Mr. B. and the red raggers had already left for Aunt P's with provisions for the party. Phryne was upstairs and there is no one else to answer the telephone. It might be the station calling or Aunt P with further instructions. He pushed off the counter and bent down to address Arthur.

 

“Stay right here Arthur, I have to answer the telephone. Do not move! Understand?”, Arthur had a mouth full of cracker so he looked up wide-eyed and nodded.

 

Jack hurried to the table in the front foyer and dealt quickly with Mr. B.'s request to bring his personal set of carving knives that had been forgotten. Running back into the kitchen he was met with an empty table; there is no small child, nor plate, nor crackers. Damn. And the back door was ajar.

 

Jack ran out the door, frantic now and imaging all sorts of horrible things that could have befallen the child. He then blew out a large sigh of relief as he spied the escapee in the garden. Naked. Except for the underwear he was wearing on his head. And Arthur was quietly focused on some very serious task; he was carefully leaving a trail of broken crackers from the edge of the rose-bed and across the lawn. Jack gaped. This is not his fault.

 

Suddenly he heard Phryne calling from inside the house and realized there was no time to make the best of a bad situation. He heard the clicking of her heels as she neared the back door and turned around, arms out, palms up in surrender. He also gave a self deprecating little shrug, trying very, very hard to neither crack a smirk or guffaw out loud. Phryne, to her credit quickly raised her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud either.

 

“Arthur, honey, what are you doing,” she sing songs as she steps closer and squats to his level. The little boy stood straighter and pushed his 'hat' back farther off his forehead.

 

“Uncle Jack and I saw a bunny t'other day and I want him to come out,” he stated, making it sound perfectly reasonable.

 

“I'm not sure bunnies eat crackers, darling, how about we try carrots from the garden some other day.” she swung her head back to glare at her partner whose face was the picture of feigned nonchalance.

 

“But right now we have to go to Aunt P's for your birthday party, so let's do this later.” She removed the crackers and plate from the little hands and the 'hat' from the little head. “Where are your clothes?”

 

“Over dare,” he pointed to a pile on one of the loungers on the porch. “Did not want to get dirty.”

 

“Well, that's very clever of you. Let's get inside before your parents arrive and I’ll set you to rights.” Phryne led the little man back inside after retrieving his clothes, hoping they were in fairly decent condition.

 

As she passed Jack, who was leaning on the door frame, she huffed under her breath. “Two minutes!!??”

 

“That is one very impressive scientific experiment, Arthur,” he ignored her.

 

“I'm gonna be scientis ,” Arthur proclaimed proudly, “and fireman.”

 

Phryne quickly encouraged the little boy to hurry along before any more damage could be done. All attempts by Jack to hide a smile had failed miserably, he now wore a grin on his face and as she disappeared into the house, scowled at him.

 

'You're such a child, Jack Robinson!”

 


End file.
